Russia arrests deputy defense minister on suspicion of bribery; close aide to Defense Minister Shoigu | Reuters

[モスクワ ２４日 ロイター] – On the 24th, a district court in Moscow, the Russian capital, ordered that Deputy Defense Minister Ivanov, who was arrested on suspicion of bribery, be detained until June 23rd. It was the biggest corruption scandal since the country’s invasion of Ukraine.

Mr. Ivanov is a close aide to Defense Minister Shoigu. He was taken into custody by the Federal Security Service (FSB) on the 23rd of this month on suspicion of receiving a large bribe.

The district court said Ivanov colluded with third parties to receive large bribes for contracts and subcontracts awarded by the Ministry of Defense.

According to domestic media, he denies the charges. If convicted, he could be sentenced to 15 years in prison.

According to the presidential palace, President Putin and Defense Minister Shoigu were informed in advance of Ivanov’s arrest.

Ivanov was appointed deputy minister of defense in 2016. He was in charge of real estate management, official residences, construction, etc. at the Ministry of Defense. He has been the subject of investigative reporting for some time due to his flamboyant lifestyle, including shopping at Europe’s finest boutiques and owning a mansion.

The Anti-Corruption Fund, founded by the late opposition leader Alexei Navalny, also investigated Ivanov in 2022. He said his family lived a life of luxury, including yachts, helicopters, trips to the Cote d’Azur, a 19th-century mansion in Moscow and diamond purchases.

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As Moscow bureau chief, Guy runs coverage of Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States. Before Moscow, Guy ran Brexit coverage as London bureau chief (2012-2022). On the night of Brexit, his team delivered one of Reuters historic wins – reporting news of Brexit first to the world and the financial markets. Guy graduated from the London School of Economics and started his career as an intern at Bloomberg. He has spent over 14 years covering the former Soviet Union. He speaks fluent Russian.